National leader Christopher Luxon says the The government’s $350 million transportation choices is a “slush fund”.
He made the remarks on AM Wednesday, after National claimed Transport Secretary Michael Wood designed a process that would allow him to distribute money based on political priorities.
But national transport spokesman Simeon Brown said Wood had written to Labor MPs in June asking them to pitch projects directly to him, before councils could express interest in August.
Of the 46 councils that received funding, 28 were represented by Labor Party MPs, while only 15 were represented by National MPs, Brown said.
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Tom Lee/Stuff
National leader Christopher Luxon said the $350 million Transport Choices package is a “mush fund.”
All money spent in Auckland was spent in areas represented by Labor Party MPs.
Responding to the claims, Wood said the Transport Choices initiative was announced in May as part of the Climate Emergency Response Fund.
“In June I wrote to my Labor colleagues to remind them of the purpose of the fund and encourage them to engage with their local communities and councils to support awareness and help gather bid ideas,” Wood said.
Waka Kotahi reviewed bids from councils, but final funding decisions rested with ministers.
Luxon told AM “it sounds like pork”.
ROBERT KITCHIN/Zo
Transport Secretary Michael Wood said the initiative was announced in May, and he wrote to Labor colleagues in June to remind them of the purpose of the fund and encourage them to get involved in their local communities.
“Labour MPs got a call before anyone else asked them for projects in their area. It just seems deeply political and cynical,” Luxon said.
“It’s clearly a slush fund set up with prior notice to Labor MPs,” he said.
“That’s a really worrying development, when it comes to pig trading and politics really, and when you actually get projects taking place in Labor seats, and you make sure that Labor MPs are consulted before anything else.
“So it doesn’t smell right, it doesn’t feel right.” I hope it’s not true, but it clearly looks like it happened,” Luxon said.
Announcing the funded projects on Sunday, Wood said the package would fund additional bus stops, bus priority routes, new bike lanes, transportation infrastructure improvements around schools and improved walking access for neighborhoods.